


Of Snow and Hearth

by AnnieM



Category: due South
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 10:01:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18870958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnieM/pseuds/AnnieM
Summary: Benton is felling middle age coming on and even the trees and snow can't help.





	Of Snow and Hearth

**Author's Note:**

> Just something that came to me. Alliance owns the characters, and no money is being made.

Benton Fraser was where he belonged (or so he thought.) He had just come back from Vancouver from another coleauge's funeral. Now he was back at his cabin.

Ben was walking in the deep snow freshly fallen from a February storm. The air was cold and crisp, everything white except for a few lone standing hemlock trees. The blue sky beckoned him out.

The humming in his mind however was very loud. The embracing call of age echoing noisely in his thoughts. The cold air seemed to magnify the sound, and the nearby hills reverberated the buzz even more.

This area, this "home" used to be his solace, his "centering" place, but no more. Too many deaths of fellow Mounties he had started with, his contemporaries, were now just memories. Some had died in the line of duty, others due to accidents or illness. But now Benton was feeling the passing of time, and the lack of someone close to be with.

He thought of his two friends "The Rays," how they had found their "someone's" and were happy. Maggie and Ray (Stan) Kowalski were happy with two small children in a small home in Inuvic, where she was a newly-minted Sergeant in command.

Ray Vecchio was spending his time between two places. He and Stella still had the bowling alley, and because of some shrewd investments were VERY well off. Stella was now the District Attorney for Dade County. Ray would go to Chicago every three months, for two days, to make sure Fannie and Renfield were okay. Their six children were growing strong and gave Ray a sense of family renewal.

Maria and her now grown children had moved out of the family home to one close by in the neighborhood. Tony had gotten in to a job training program, and now made good-enough money for them to live comfortably.

Maria and Fannie shared every other year the maternal position for the great family feasts. One would do Thanksgiving and the other Christmas, the next year they would swap so no one could complain about the workload. Stella always made it to the Christmas dinner and Ma Vecchio was always remembered fondly at these dinners.

Benton saw Maggie and Ray often, having dinners and going trekking in to the country side with her. They hunted game and made up for lost time as family. They often wished they had grown up together. They were determined to cram all that they could of being siblings in the time they had. With Ray and Maggie and the children, Ben truly had a family.

Benton missed his father and mother, though he "knew" they were together and happy. Even after death their love was still binding and strong. He wished more than anything else that would get his " happy ever after." 

Buck Frobisher was newly departed also. Julie had sent Ben a letter, Buck had died in his sleep. Ben had no older mentor now. This recent melancholy was not going away and he could use some mature guidance.

Just then a Snow Tarmagan flock flew by, rescuing him from his sad reminiscing for a few moments. The wind outside was starting to pick-up a bit, and Benton pulled up his coat collar. The cold air brought to mind thoughts···"Ice···Ice Queen···Margaret, I wonder how is she?"

Benton had not heard from her since five years before. She had come back a hero, and was unsure on what path to take. She could rejoin the RCMP or take a position elsewhere in the government. Private sector work she might consider only if needed. But the CSIS was no longer any part of her plans. She almost died when she was in the Middle East, and she had enough.

Ben decided to find out where Margaret was and how she was doing. It may be or not the cure for what ails him, but at least he would know if she was well. And who knows, something might become of it! He hoped possible romance, even after all this time. But if not, having another good friend would be great. Ben found out, one can never have too many friends.

**Author's Note:**

> This may be my last story for quite a while. If you don't see my story replies sometime soon, don't worry. I will be back.


End file.
